The IndyCar series finale at Fontana: A postscript

Scott Dixon gives the Astor Cup a kiss after winning the IndyCar Series on Saturday night with a fifth-place finish at Fontana.

Scott Dixon gives the Astor Cup a kiss after winning the IndyCar Series on Saturday night with a fifth-place finish at Fontana. (Robert Laberge / Getty Images)

Jim Peltz

Looking back at Saturday night's IndyCar season finale at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, where Scott Dixon captured the series title and Will Power won the race, here are some thoughts and updates:

Dixon is one tenacious driver. The New Zealander started the season sluggishly and was eighth in the standings after the Indianapolis 500. Then he turned it on, winning three consecutive races (Pocono and the Toronto double-header) and again in Houston to grab the lead in the in the standings that he protected with a fifth-place finish at Fontana. As a youngster Dixon would race with a pillow strapped to his behind because he was too short to see out of the cockpit. Now the reserved "Iceman," who prefers to let his racing do the talking, stands above his peers with a third championship.

Justin Wilson took a serious hit. With the cars traveling in excess of 200 mph, Wilson spun in Turn 2 and was struck by Tristan Vautier as part of a multicar crash. Wilson was taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton and he said Sunday on Twitter that he had three factures to his pelvis but that doctors believe he won't require surgery. It was a disappointing end to a strong season for the Dale Coyne Racing driver; he had arrived in Fontana fourth in the standings.

Sebastian Bourdais is definitely an oval racer. The veteran French driver was well-known as an exceptional driver on road and street courses, and was a four-time champion in the former Champ Car World Series. But Bourdais on Saturday night showed he can race high-speed ovals, too, and isn't intimidated by the likes of Dixon and Power. After qualifying third, Bourdais stayed up front for most of the race and led 35 laps until he spun and crashed with only 20 laps left.

The current IndyCar race car and Fontana are a good match. Saturday night's 500-mile race proved again that Auto Club Speedway is an ideal venue for deciding the IndyCar title. It was a frenetic race with 28 lead changes that left uncertain until the end whether Dixon or Helio Castroneves (who finished sixth) would win the title. IndyCar last year returned to the two-mile Fontana oval after a seven-year absence, and it's on the schedule next year as the season finale once again. That's good news for IndyCar fans.